My 5 year old doesn't seem to need much sleep

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

DS1 was put tobeat 7:30

Sorry was trying to delete autocorrect and it posted (I hate this phone sometimes!).

Anyway, DS1 is 5 and was put to bed at 7:30ish but is still wide awake now. This happens most nights and I'm at my wits end. I'm ready for bed now but he's still chatting. I don't get any down time in the evening and it's just making me so cross with him. I'm worried he's not getting enough sleep but what can I do?

What's his bedtime routine? Does he watch TV or read in bed before lights out? Is he tired but can't drop off or is he not tired at all? What would happen if you ignored his chatting?

He has a bath, watches a few cartoons then reads in bed. If I turn his light out he just turns it back on again and it becomes a running battle. If I ignore him he just keeps on until I get cross but it achieves nothing.

Is his room dark? My DS has a blackout blind and curtains which is definitely needed at this time of year.

What time does your DS wake up? Maybe you could try waking him up slightly earlier in the mornings so that he's more tired in the evenings?

He's finally dropped off so I can go to bed. He never seems to be overtired in the morning though.

Maybe a sticker chart to keep him in bed with the light off then? What about a lamp that fades out? Or a strict time he's allowed to read.

Or try cutting out the cartoons to see if that helps? I don't think screen time before bed is great.

Try leaving him watching cartoons or reading a bit longer. Right or wrong I let my eldest dcs watch TV in bed they generally fall asleep watching. I say to them if they're quiet and in bed they can keep watching for longer but if they start messing about being noisy the tv goes off, by 9pm they're usually flat out & tv is off

It's a time of year thing, I think ??

My DS was always in bed at 7.30/45, but when he turned 5 he was up till 9ish during the summer, despite long days in childcare & being physically active, plus blackout blinds.

He's now 6 & we put the lights out at 8.30; he plays in his room till 9ish & wakes up at 6.30ish. Weep.

I'd do cartoon, then bath, then reading in bed and lights out at 8.30 and see if that helps.